Behind closed doors: Signs
by Strangerthanstrange
Summary: Merrill hasn't been the same since the alien invasion; Graham worries for his younger brother; Bo and Morgan struggle at school: Adult situations, language but not much, violence, teen bully, flashbacks, and sexual assault


**A/N: Finally made a new Signs story! This one will have a ton of Merrill Hess in it more than anyone ( I just love Joaquin Phoenix) because Joaquin's character seemed like fun to get to know and write about:**

**Warnings: Not much to worry about yet in the begining chapter!**

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Sinner: Signs

**::**

After the 'invasion', Merrill hasn't been the same younger brother Graham used to know. It must've hurt him in an awful way, hurt him in a way that froze him, that stopped him from speaking words completely. He hasn't talked for a year; nothing but _'okay'_ and _'yeah'_ had come from his mouth with the family. What was bothering him? What was on his mind?

In the morning, the cool summer saturday morning, Graham was the first to wake and rolled out of the sheets in a grey t-shirt and matching sweatpants heading for the bathroom.

But just before he left to begin his morning routine, Father Graham stopped himself and peered out of the window. He saw nothing but the dirt drive way, beautiful green grass and his brother having another smoke. Graham shook his head and skipped the bathroom and decended the stairs careful not to wake the kids. Merrill flicked the cigarette and remained still even after he heard the slam of the screen door. "Merill," Graham's voice was shocking but that was nothing unusual; Merrill still hadn't moved a muscle even as Graham stood beside him, looking in his direction. Graham didn't like that he wasn't getting any acknowledgement from his brother, Graham cared so much about him and the current state that he was in just scared the Preacher man.

"I want you to talk to me Merrill, I know what you've been through, we have all experienced it," Graham placed a gentle hand onto Merrill's shoulder and it instantly tensed up and he directed his eyes at the ground beneath his feet. It almost seemed to Graham that Merrill was ashamed or scared to talk about it but there was absolutely no reason for him to be scared or even ashamed.

Merrill swallowed soon after Graham had and looked over at his older brother. The two siblings shared a silent moment of no-words together, both of them feeling terrified of the other. "I am really sorry Graham," was all Merrill said before Graham pulled his hand away and stared in amazement and happiness. It had been literally a year since Merrill last said anything like that and it made Graham shine. "Why are you sorry Merrill, you didn't do anything?" Graham continued to gaze at his brother watching his very eyes water up. The birds were strangely loud today but sounded so beautiful as the sunshine came down falling onto their skin. Merrill squinted and batted his eyes before walking away. Graham watched him leave into the house; Father Hess bit his lip thinking. Merrill Hess was always a crazy child, he wasn't always a good one but he was never bad he was just the unlucky brother that never really got as much love from their mother and father; that was Graham. Graham Hess was excellent in his school work and was every other teacher's pet while Merrill was the kid in the back of the class carving unfamiliar curse words into his desk with a pen. He felt like a bad kid, and not because of his older brother but because of who he was, what he was.

**.**

When the Hess boys got into High school everything changed for them; Merrill got his first suspension Freshman year and Graham got his third girlfriend a month after finishing Senior year. Graham wasn't surprisingly into the high school career much but he still did his best getting himself into all the honor classes and clubs. Merrill definitely didn't enjoy it but it was better than being at home where he'd get picked on by his father about how he could be as smart as his brother and wacked with the belt when he back-talked, in school he got to talk to others just like him; Merrill Hess was a troubled teen in High school but one thing that he was loved for was his love for baseball. Merrill was crazy about baseball and tried several times to get himself in, but the teachers wouldn't allow it, no one would.

**.**

After dinner Morgan and Bo helped with dishes, stacking all the plates and cups and bowls while Graham started the water and squeezed in the soap. Merrill was in the living room watching an old classic on their cheap new television sipping from a can of pepsi.

While the kids washed Graham left the kitchen in search of his brother. "Merrill you want any dessert, I bought some ice-cream and Morgan, Bo and I made brow—Merrill interrupted him silently; "No, I'm fine," he didn't bother to turn his head and look at him as he spoke; that was one thing their father hated; 'No-Eye Contact' and Merrill was punished a lot for that.

Graham nodded his head with the dish towell in his hands. "Okay," and Graham headed back into the kitchen with the two kids, who were found blowing handfulls of white pillowy bubbles at each other.

An hour after Jaws had ended, Graham turned off the TV and saw Merrill fast asleep on the couch snoring with one arm over his face. He gave his unconscious brother a smile and covered him in a quilt from the back room. Bo and Morgan were still awake playing upstairs before their bath. Graham just couldn't stop thinking about Merrill; he was his brother and he loved him. He hated seeing him like this, so scared and ashamed and for what? "I love you Merrill," Graham pulled the quilt up over Merrill's body more until it was underneath his chin, his arm still over his face.

Heading upstairs Graham pulled Bo from Morgan's room and got her in the bath; tonight seemed to last forever. Before long, Graham was in bed trying hard to close his eyes; his thoughts were busy and his body was aching. But tomorrow was Sunday; tomorrow was Church and a perfect day for Father Graham to preach.

**.**

At nineteen Graham's fourth girlfriend left him; he wasn't giving her what she wanted was what Graham told his younger brother. The two Hess brothers were very close and even with their mother and they told each other everything; Merrill even told Graham all his mishaps and wrong-doings, (which he kept from their mother and father), because Graham wasn't one to judge and a few months after Merrill's birthday, their mother died, leaving them alone with their preacher turned alcoholic father.

Being 5 years younger than his brother at Merrill had his second cigarette and fifth drink of beer. One night after his Freshman year, after the final day of school a bunch of his friends drove out to the country, an hour away from where the Hess's lived and unpacked a ton of booze and beautiful women.

Near a little pond and warmed by a fire, Merrill was the first kid to be pushed into the water in his clothes, only to be laughed at and even praised for nothing just because the kids were all so wasted and thought anything was funny.

A girl named Susie eighteen years old had her blue eyes on Merrill the whole night; she could tell he was already passed the point of being wasted and drunk but she still was amazed at how gorgeous and silly he was; he looked a lot older than fourteen and had a lot of muscle for his age. Merrill was into sports but mainly baseball and weights training. "Hi," was all she said to him sitting on the tailgate of Bobby's truck with him, looking up at the stars.

Merrill kept shaking himself to keep from passing out but she was very pretty and it kept him up for a good hour or so. "H-Hey," Merrill was a little bit nervous around the women maybe because he didn't have much experience like Graham, but he was too cute to be nervous like that. "So how come your brother didn't come to chase you out of here?" Susie laughed and so did Merrill laying down in the back of the warm pickup, removing his damp shirt. "I ain't got a clue, he doesn't need to know," he got onto his elbows in a wobbly manner almost falling back down but Susie lay beside him and went in for a kiss.

This was Merrill's first kiss; he never really cared for anyone else but his brother and now that he'd gotten that lovely cherry booze flavored kiss he couldn't bare to leave her.

But something wasn't right about this; Susie had a boyfriend, and that was Bobby. What a dumb broad she was and how she was playing with Merrill like that. At the end of their night Bobby had found out about what those two had done in the back of his own fucking truck and shoved Susie into the truck passenger seat while he took his time with Merrill, Bobby's friends joining in too. Merrill had seen and witnessed much violence in his life and he had experienced it several times so fighting a big d-bag wasn't much of a problem.

"You think you can mess with my girl like that you little prick?" Bobby was a Senior jock in high school and a strong ass red-head growling before grabbing Merrill by the neck, since the boy had no shirt on his body. Merrill had become afraid for only a moment before his frightened wall completely broke and he fought back with all he had. He learned a lot from his father and from tv as well but that night he was the one who was bruised, beat and bloody. The gang left him, spitting at him, cussing filthy words at him until the police arrived after a sudden call from his older brother.

**.**

In the morning, Merrill woke up on the couch taking in the scent of pancakes and sausage; it made him smile and race into the kitchen. They were all there waiting for him; "Uncle Merrill!" Bo jumped out of her chair and into Merrill's arms. They all knew Merrill had been acting strange but they still loved him and missed him. Merrill got down to Bo's small size and put his hands on both of her sides tapping her nose with his finger. "Hey little Bo!" he smiled and she ran back to Morgan and Graham who sat around the table: Morgan to Grahams left and Bo to his right and there was a seat beside Morgan with a plate full of buttermilk pancakes and summer sausage with a glass of orange juice waiting for him.

Merrill stood beside Morgan and looked down at the plate then up at Graham. He swallowed and pulled out his chair carefully. "Thanks," he said before taking his fork and stabbing a piece of sausage with it. The others all smiled and Bo giggled. Good Sunday morning breakfast.

**::**

**E/N: Well I know I haven't made a Signs story in a long time but I felt the need to make one for some reason so I hope it was good enough to continue!**


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